Winter Storm Prep: An Electrical Checklist for Chilliwack Homeowners

Every fall, I get the same wave of calls right after the first big windstorm knocks out power across the valley — and every year, most of what people are dealing with could have been checked in five minutes beforehand. Here's the list I'd actually run through myself.

Before storm season starts

• Test your sump pump — if you have one, it matters most exactly when the power's also most likely to go out. Confirm it works, and know whether it has (or needs) battery backup.
• Check your panel for warning signs — breakers that don't reset cleanly, warm spots, or a panel brand with a known failure history are worse problems to discover mid-outage. See the signs to watch for.
• Locate your main disconnect — know where it is and how to shut it off before you need to in a hurry, especially if there's any flooding risk.
• If you have a generator, service it now — oil, filters, battery, and a real load test, not just the automatic self-test. A generator that hasn't been checked in a year is a gamble at exactly the wrong moment.
• If you don't have a generator, decide your plan now — portable with a manual transfer switch, or a standby system. Deciding during an outage means paying rush pricing and taking whatever's in stock. More on that trade-off in this note on standby generators.

During an outage

• Turn off or unplug sensitive electronics — voltage can spike when power is restored
• Leave one light switched on so you know when power's back, and turn off anything that shouldn't restart unattended (space heaters, some power tools)
• Never run a portable generator indoors, in a garage, or near windows — carbon monoxide risk is real and it moves faster than people expect
• If you smell burning or see sparking anywhere, treat it as urgent and call — don't wait until after the storm passes

After power's restored

• Check that your sump pump and any other critical systems actually came back on — don't assume
• Watch for flickering or dimming in the days after, which can indicate a damaged connection from the outage itself
• If a breaker tripped during the outage and won't reset cleanly now, don't keep forcing it — that's worth a call

If any of this turns up something worth a second look — an old panel, a generator that hasn't been serviced, or you're deciding whether to get a standby system before winter — reach out now while it's still routine scheduling, not an emergency call.